Safety device for railroads.



CONSTANTIN KLINIK, OF TARNOWITZ, GERMANY.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILROADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1906.

Application filed February 6,1906. Serial No. 299,848-

T0 (tZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, CoNsTANTIN KLINIK, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Tarnowitz, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Railroads, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference to an improved device for preventing two trains meeting on the same track from colliding; and the device essentially consists of a third slotted rail or conduit running between and parallel to the two ordinary rails forming the track and a flexible member which is pushed along in this third rail by the one train and which upon coming in contact with the other train or any other obstruction operates to set off an alarm in either engine-cab to warn the engineers of the impending danger.

The traveling member, composed of a number of separate sections for the purpose of rendering it flexible to follow the curves of the track, is'to be of a length of about five hundred to six hundred yards and is provided at either end with a beveled-off plate which extends above the surface of the third rail and is intended to cooperate with a push-rod depending from the cab of the engine to actuate the alarm device. iVhen first striking the bevel-plate, this push-rod will recede without setting off the alarm and will push the traveling member ahead. As soon as this traveling member meets an obstruction the depending push-rod ascends the bevelplate to its highest point, when upon abruptly coming free of the plate it will operate the alarm.

In order to make the invention more readily understood, I will now describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents in side elevation, partly in section, the push-rod depending from the engine-cab and the alarm device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the thirdrail track with the traveling member and the bevel-plates. Fig. 3 is a crosssection through the third rail with traveling member and the bevel-plate in elevation.

In the engine-cab there is provided a standard a, carrying an alarm device, as shown, consisting of the gong part h, leverhammer i g, and a spring f, the arm 9 of the hammer resting upon the upper end of the push-rod d, the lower end of which is influenced by the compression-spring e and runs out into the finger 0. These parts ordinarily retain the position shown in Fig. 1.

Between the track-rails a little below their level there is provided parallel thereto a slotted or troughed third rail or conduit 3', to which I will hereinafter refer as third rail, having a trough i. In this trough there is slidingly arranged the traveling member composed of sections k and m, each about a foot in length, preferably of cast-steel and of star-shaped cross-section, as shown in Fig. 3. The sections are interconnected by means of angle-links Z, Fig. 2. Either end section m m is provided with an upright plate n and a, respectively, extending through the slot in the third rail, as shown in Fig. 3, and having its upper edge beveled off, as at 0 0. Similar bevel-plates p p are secured to the sections 7s m next to the end sections and serve a purpose to be described later on.

The sections are provided with ball-bearings g 1 for the purpose of reducing the friction between the traveling sections and the third rail.

As contemplated the third rail is provided only from one end of a siding to the beginning of the next. If then the traveling member is pushed by the train to the end of the third rail, it will stop there until it is taken back again by the return train, which is brought about by this train cooperating with the respective end bevel plate in the described manner.

The plates 1) p serve the following purpose: If two trains have approached one another on the same track to suchan extent that the fingers of the push-rods of either engine have ascended the respective end bevel-plates and have then dropped off the highest point thereof, with the result of sounding the gongs, then provision must be made that the one or the other train upon backing can take the traveling member back with it. This is brought about by the bevel-plates p p in the manner described.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a safety device of the kind described, the combination of a troughed third rail, a traveling member therein comprising a plurality of sections, links flexibly connecting the sections, ball-bearings for the parts subjecteol to friction, and bevel-plates on the plates of said traveling member,substantially two end sections at either end of said travelas and for the purpose set forth. 1o

ing member, and an alarm device in connec- In testimony whereof I affix my signature own with the eng1neoab, comprising a stand- 1n presence of two witnesses.

ard, a gong, a lever-hammer, a push-rod, a CONSTANTIN KLINIK.

compression-spring influencing this rod and a Witnesses: finger forming the lower end of said. push- RICHARD FRIEDRICH,

rod, adapted to cooperate with said bevel- ERNsT KATZ. 

